Labyrinth of the Lost
by Elemental-Zer0
Summary: Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless.
1. Chapter 1

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

**Summary: **_Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless._

**Disclaimer**: This is a Fan-fiction story of the T.V Series; Merlin, and is in no way affiliated with the actual series. All Characters and other materials related to the show that are used are not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. Elemental-Zer0 takes sole responsibility for any mistakes or offence that may be taken but truly not meant.

However, this story plot and all Characters not affiliated with the show are Copyright © 2009 to Elemental-Zer0.

**Authors Note/Warnings**: _I don't think I like this as much as I'd hoped. I'll warn you now, I may take this story down as I'm not sure if I like it yet – usually I vow to finish all my stories posted here, but this may be the one exception. _

_Let me know what you think, but no flames please. If you have any criticism to make please do it politely otherwise I shall ignore your words. (It's happened before, I'm sorry to say, and I hadn't even posted any chapters…)_

* * *

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

A cold and bitter wind whistled loudly through the trees, catching and sending a cloud of dry, winter-bitten leaves in a scattering race across the cold, hard floor. Merlin pulled his thin jacket closer around himself and wished ruefully that he'd taken his mother's warning of a cold journey more seriously. It would snow tonight, he predicted, and a frost would greet the morning sun too. He sighed, his warm breath escaping through his mouth and nose in a puffy cloud that was pulled away by the bitter winds. His horse snorted beneath him and shifted its weight before giving an impatient whinny.

"Yes alright, we're going…" He responded, with a little kick to the horse's flanks to get him to move. The horse fell into a casual walk, finding its way through the sparse undergrowth while instinctively heading for home; Camelot.

But, before he could leave the clearing behind completely, a sudden commotion caused Merlin to draw his horse to a stop. To his right, the bushes gave a cry and before he knew it, Merlin had fallen to the cold hard earth; his horse was stood only on its hind legs and in the next second had galloped off into the forest.

He was confused and dazed but was instantly on his feet, numb fingers searching his belt for the hidden dagger that Arthur had insisted he keep with him when travelling alone, and was searching the area visually for his attacker. His heart still beating a hundred a minute.

But no one was there. He frowned, his breath coming out in slowing gasps while his adrenaline started to ebb away. The cold biting again.

Odd. Why would bandits try and attack but leave when he was most vulnerable? It made no sense. "Who's there?!" He called, hoping that he'd receive no answer but also hoping it was all a misunderstanding and that it was merely another traveller who'd caught him off guard.

But still only the silence of the winter forest responded. That made him even more nervous; where were the animals? Not all of them were hibernating, he knew enough of winter's wildlife to know that there should have been at least some natural sounds around, but the forest around him was eerily still and quiet. Not even the bitter wind from before dared to penetrate the tense and rigid atmosphere.

With his dagger held out and his eyes constantly watching the trees, the bushes… anything that might move; Merlin slowly moved toward the track that would take him home. He was sacred and beyond confused, and just wanted to go home.

He heard it then, and felt it a second too late. A swish of material from behind, a large force knocking his feet from under him and a heavy weight suddenly atop his chest… his dagger was forcefully kicked from his hand.

Dazed yet again he blearily looked up; blinking back the stars that threatened to take his vision completely, and found himself looking up at a cloaked figure. The cloak seemed large and weather worn, a few holes were patched up too but the hood covered his attackers face completely. Even looking up from this angle, he could only see shadows and what looked like the reflection of light on a small shiny surface. "What…_cough_, do you want with me?" He asked, trying to lift the stranger's foot from his chest where he'd pinned him down. The ground was hard underneath him and there was a hard lump sticking into his lower back, a rock maybe? Either way he was uncomfortable and afraid but the damned foot wouldn't budge.

The stranger made no noise, but made no movement to release him or explain himself either. Merlin's heart starting beating hard again, his breaths escaping in small quick puffs of white in the chilly air. Whoever this was, he scared him. He was unpredictable; his motive unknown, his goals obscured. "Please, I have no money… take what you can find…argh!" The foot pushed down and a sharp pain cracked down his left side. Something was going to give if the guy didn't ease up. Merlin squeezed his eyes shut and tried to push the foot off him, grabbing at the shoe and tugging at the laces but nothing would budge.

"_Emrys…_" He stopped; eyes wide. That voice… the cloak, the shadows… of course, it was starting to make sense. But why him? Why had this spectre come for him?

"No, wait. I know who you are. You've made a mistake… I'm not-" He tried to explain, tried to reason but the old mottled whisper that rasped like dead twigs rubbing against dry leaves brushed against his mind, stopping him again.

"_Emrys…_" It wasn't listening. It didn't care.

"No, please! Don't take me there…" He begged, frantic now but the figure just leaned over him, reaching two of his old skeletal fingers out from under its cloak and pushing them to the young warlock's forehead.

"_Emrys..._"

"Please! No..."


	2. Chapter 2

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

**Summary: **_Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless._

**Disclaimer**: This is a Fan-fiction story of the T.V Series; Merlin, and is in no way affiliated with the actual series. All Characters and other materials related to the show that are used are not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. Elemental-Zer0 takes sole responsibility for any mistakes or offence that may be taken but truly not meant.

However, this story plot and all Characters not affiliated with the show are Copyright © 2009 to Elemental-Zer0.

**Authors Note/Warnings**: _Ok, so I take it you guys liked the last chapter? Well, ok, but I'll warn you again, the plot for this story is in a complete confusion of mess, meaning that I may lose track of it and it may not survive a round of writers block… also meaning it may never get finished and I may end up deleting it as I forewarned in the previous chapter._

_But having seen the popularity of this fic, I've decided to try harder and to keep going until such a time comes that I can't continue. I'll do my best people! I can promise you that much!_

_Again, let me know what you think, but no flames please. If you have any criticism to make please do it politely otherwise I shall ignore your words. (It's happened before, I'm sorry to say, and I hadn't even posted any chapters…)_

* * *

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

Arthur stared long and hard at the snow falling outside his window. He could feel the heat of his roaring fire burning in the fireplace behind him but his body remained cold and numb and rigid.

He was worried.

But damnit he shouldn't be! He was just a servant… it was _Merlin_ for crying out loud, even if he'd been waylaid by thieves or strangers, he wasn't worth the effort of robbing or causing havoc. He was just a lazy, clumsy, lousy servant who always seemed to find trouble no matter what he did.

But then maybe that's why he was worried; Merlin was a danger unto himself when not constantly supervised… how he managed to survive so far in his years Arthur had no idea but he did know that since his servant had shown up in Camelot, his luck had been bad and his mouth never seemed to help him get out of it. That fact was very evident when they'd first met in the market place.

It didn't help that Gaius and Gwen and subsequently Morgana were hampering him with worries and soft frowns of concern. Nor did it help his mood when Merlin didn't show up the day after he was due back to Camelot.

So his mood had only soured progressively on each day that Merlin remained absent since the day he'd been due to come home. But he understood that the weather in these coming days were bad and his servant had a notorious habit of being late for almost any task that he'd been set. So, although he _was_ secretly worried, Arthur continued to wait and stave off Morgana's, Gwen's and Gaius' combined worries with little excuses until he had more evidence to suggest that something was amiss.

Little did he know how soon that suggestion would arrive, for not long after his third visit from her Ladyship on the fourteenth day of Merlin's unexplained absence, he was summoned to the courtyard by a young serving boy that he had seen once in the kitchens.

"Please Sire, the stable master requests you meet him in the courtyard immediately, he says it's of great importance. He asks that you hurry Sire!" The boy was young looking, fair skinned but had a visible fading tan from the summer months just past. If Arthur had to guess his age, he'd have put him at twelve, maybe thirteen summers. But Arthur had no time to guess the age of the boy; from the sounds of it, he had a much larger concern to occupy his mind with.

"Lead the way." He commanded, grabbing his cloak as he followed the rushing boy from his chambers.

It was still lightly snowing outside; the wind and air was stiff and crisp but the delicate flurries drifted downward in a graceful pattern regardless. The cold bit his cheeks instantly and he had to pull his cloak around him tighter to ward off the chilling fingers that slipped through his clothes. The boy led him out of the palace doors and into the courtyard where a rather dishelved and panicky horse was skittering around on the snow covered cobblestone floor.

The boy paused and, pulling his coat around him more, let his eyes dart around for the stable master. Arthur took that time to watch the scene; a few burly men were sliding around on the icy cobble stones, trying to calm the horse down enough to catch it but the beast wasn't having any of it. Instead it reared up, flailing its legs at the men who tried to approach. The horse landed its front legs on the floor again and backed away nodding its head in a warning to stay back.

That's when Arthur noticed it; Merlin's ripped and tattered satchel was still only just attached to the saddle.

This was Merlin's horse… so where was Merlin?

He looked around quickly, expecting to find his very late servant in a heap on the floor from where the horse had thrown him off, but then a horrible thought suddenly hit him and he looked again at the scared horse. Yes, the horse was scared; its saddle was wonky, there were dead twigs and leaves matted in its mane and tail and an abundance of mud and dirt in its hair.

"Oh no…" Merlin had been attacked.

He didn't see the boy move as he spotted the stable master nor did he register that he'd dashed off to deliver the Prince to him. He just stood there at the bottom of the palace entry steps, and watched as the three men from before tried to catch the panicked animal.

"Arthur?" Morgana's soft spoken voice only just penetrated his heavy thoughts. "What's going on?" She asked. He turned then and made to respond but instead he caught a glimpse of Gwen stood behind her with a look of horror on her face. The young maid was looking at the horse, and as he had just done, put two and two together.

"Merlin…" He tried, but found that he couldn't complete his explanation. He didn't have to though for he saw the lights click on in Morgana's eyes.

They were silent for a moment, eyes locked in different shades of worry, shock and concern before Arthur finally pulled himself together. He was a Prince damnit. He should be acting like one; taking control and what not… no matter how out of control he actually felt.

"Morgana, I need someone to inform Gaius." He began, turning back to the panicked horse scene and spotting the stable master heading toward him. Good, he was going to need his horse.

"And what are you going to do?" She asked, coming back to her senses. Arthur turned back to her with a determined look in his eye that told her he was about to do something his father may not approve of.

"I'm going to look for him." He replied, with a small mischievous smile that was gone before it was there. He was too worried to actually grin, but the message was clear; don't tell the King until it's too late to stop him. Morgana grinned back, her faith in him never wavering. Arthur spared a quick reassuring glance at Gwen before turning to the stable master waiting at the bottom of the palace steps.

"Sire! I'm sorry to have called for you, but the horse…" He began. He was rather large and rotund man but his eyes betrayed his kind heart and good soul.

"Is Merlin's, I know." Arthur interrupted, "Have my horse tacked and ready to go. I'm leaving within the hour." He added as he turned and headed for the armoury to fetch his broadsword and a short sword for extra insurance.

"I can't Sire; your horse is lame, and there are no others available, they're all being worked in the fields." The stable master explained as he tried to keep up with the young Prince.

Arthur suddenly stopped and rounded on the poor stable master, disbelief and a certain amount of fear in his eyes; fear that he would be hindered in trying to save his wayward servant and that that hindrance would ultimately lead to a certain servant's death. Such cases of mysterious disappearances were always time crucial in the first few weeks of disappearing. Trails would grow cold, and chances of a safe return would grow thin. "You mean to tell me there are no horses?!" He all but yelled. He wasn't angry with the stable master but his worry was eating away at him, as though all this was his fault. Which was an absurd idea; how could he have known Merlin would be attacked on a journey he'd made several times before on his own with no problems.

"I'm sorry Sire…" The stable master muttered unsure of how else he could help the situation. Arthur gave a long drawn out sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. The armoury finally came into view and he made quick work of sheathing the two aforementioned swords and grabbing his chain mail shirt as well. Even from in these corridors, he could hear the horse still clattering away outside on the snow blanketed stone floor.

His eyes suddenly flew open.

That was it! "What about Merlin's horse? Is it safe to ride if calmed down?" He asked, his eyes pleading for the answer he wanted. A man's life was at stake here.

"Well, there's nothing wrong with it that I could see Sire, but it's in such a state…" But Arthur wasn't listening anymore; he was dashing back to the courtyard with the flustered and confused stable master trying to keep pace a few steps behind. Arthur finally made it back to the cold, frostbitten courtyard and found the poor horse rearing up at the men who had failed yet again to rein it in.

"Stand aside, let me." He ordered, watching as the three men turned and gave a slightly surprised bow before backing off.

The snow was still falling and the wind was still bitterly cold but as he locked his eyes with Merlin's horse, everything around him seemed to fade away into the background. It was a beautiful horse, strong and sturdy but it was clear to Arthur that the horse was scared, not for himself but for its master. It had seen something, watched what had happened…

Arthur calmly approached the frayed creature, holding out his hands in a harmless gesture. "Hush now. It's alright." He cooed to the animal as it stepped back warily but otherwise didn't move; allowing the Prince to move closer but not without giving a loud, heartbreaking whinny. "I'm going to find him." Arthur promised, ignorant of the crowd that had gathered in the cold courtyard to watch. He finally got close enough to gently catch the horse's reins. "But I'm going to need your help." He said, giving the horse a firm stroke on its nose. "Can you help me?" He asked the beast. The horse gave a deep throated grunt, its warm breath leaving its flared nostrils in a cloud of white steam, and it shook its head upwards before lowering it again in a submissive stance.

"Good," He said, giving the horse another firm stroke before turning back to the flabbergasted stable master. "Tack him up. I'm leaving now."

"Y-yes Sire!"

* * *

Far away from the city of Camelot, deep in the frozen forests surrounding the lands of King Uther, a cloaked figure stood atop a dark and dead hill. Behind him, the entrance to a long and suffering lifetime stood unwavering to its prisoners' cries, unrelenting to their pleas to be set free. Before him, the lands of a Great King-to-be rolled forth in all its snow covered glory.

"_Are you satisfied with him?_" The cloaked figure asked, his voice rasping like dry, brittle leaves skittering across the cold hard earth.

The vault behind him shivered; content with its new ward.


	3. Chapter 3

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

**Summary: **_Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless._

**Disclaimer**: This is a Fan-fiction story of the T.V Series; Merlin, and is in no way affiliated with the actual series. All Characters and other materials related to the show that are used are not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. Elemental-Zer0 takes sole responsibility for any mistakes or offence that may be taken but truly not meant.

However, this story plot and all Characters not affiliated with the show are Copyright © 2009 to Elemental-Zer0.

**Authors Note/Warnings**: _Ok, due to popular demand, here is the next chapter. I have to say, I've had a lot of reviews asking me not to delete this story and to keep going, so you'll be happy to hear that I've decided to keep it up and see where this muse takes me. _

_Again, let me know what you think, but no flames please. If you have any criticism to make please do it politely otherwise I shall ignore your words. (It's happened before, I'm sorry to say, and I hadn't even posted any chapters…)_

* * *

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

"Gaius?!" At the panicked call of his name, the old physician looked up from his latest concoction (which was giving off a rather worrying shade of green smoke) to see the Lady Morgana rushing into his laboratory; a distressed look upon her face.

His attention was hers instantly.

"Morgana? What is it child? Are you ill?" He asked, watching as she rushed to his side, uncaring of how her skirts flew up in her hurry. Gaius quickly intercepted her in her haste to rwach him and lead her over to a cushioned seat saved for guests and for the Toyal family when they occasionally visited. She sat down but quickly denied that guess.

"Oh no Gaius, it's not that, it's… it's Merlin." She went straight to business and at the mention of his wards name, Gaius was all ears. Had he been found? Was he alright? What news could she have that had brought her to him in tears like this? Nothing good he suspected with a heavy heart.

"What of him child? Did they find him?" He asked, finding a seat beside the poor girl. She looked away, tears evident in her eyes. Gaius' heart dropped through the floor. Had something more terrible than he thought happened?

"His horse returned… riderless." She replied, stopping to wipe away stray tears. But Gaius' world suddenly stopped. Merlin was in trouble. Bigger trouble than he'd first thought it seemed. "Oh Gaius, his horse was in such a state. I should have warned him!" But Gaius quickly tumbled out of his self pity at her words. He quickly looked around, to see if there were any guards that might have followed her in her frantic flight to him but the coast was clear. Good, he could ask what he needed to ask freely.

"Morgana, what aren't you telling me?" He asked, suspecting a dream problem. The Lady turned to him, grief-stricken eyes locking his attention to her alone.

"I dreamt that he would go away… and not return." She explained. Oh how he hated being right. "I dreamt that he was attacked by a stranger," She continued, "He wore a grey cloak with a strange symbol on his back. Then I heard his voice in my head, it was a horrible grating voice calling out the word '_Emrys_'. Then he reached down and put his fingers to Merlin's head… but then I woke up." Gaius looked at her in a thoughtful reverie for a moment, fresh tears were falling down her pretty face and he could tell this dream and this news had greatly upset her. She didn't know what to be more afraid of; her dreams or what had happened in those dreams…

"This symbol, can you draw it for me?" He asked. She nodded and he handed her a piece of parchment and a stick of charcoal. He watched her work as she drew a near perfect circle with an upside down triangle in the middle. Gaius, knew instantly what the symbol would be and he paled visibly, but her hands didn't stop. She continued to draw a line running downwards from the tip of the upside down triangle and then crossed that line with a shorter line, like one would cross the letter 't' when writing.

"Oh no…This is… this is bad."

He was staring at the symbol of a 'Dæmon'… a harbinger of injustice, trials and death.

* * *

The journey to Ealdor was a long one. Arthur knew that much. And the horse beneath him seemed to know the route well.

So why did the beast stop in a snow covered clearing mere miles outside of Camelot? He knew not, but no matter how many times he tried to get the horse to move again, the beast simply grunted and refused to take another step.

Ok, so the horse was trying to tell him something about this place? Great.

He dismounted and quickly surveyed the area… nothing out of the ordinary. He turned to the horse with a frustrated sigh, his warm breath fogging in the cold winter air.

"What am I missing?" He asked but the horse just gave a low whinny and shifted its weight again. "Great, I'm being mocked by a horse..." He muttered and kicked at the snow beneath his feet. He didn't expect to hit something, nor did he expect that something to suddenly fly through the air and sparkle at him as it twisted and landed in the snow a few meters away.

Curious, Arthur moved to where the object had landed and picked it up… and almost dropped it again.

It was Merlin's dagger.

His eyes, hardened, his jaw clenched and his fist tightened around the hilt of the lost dagger. Slowly he looked around the clearing; this was where Merlin had been attacked. So there had to be another clue, something the attacker dropped, or a trail… or something?! But as he looked; the white snows, the dead looking twigs, the low branches all seemed completely untouched… as though nothing had happened here at all.

"Damnit…" He was so close… and yet so very far away. "Merlin!" He called, knowing before he'd even tried that he'd receive no answer, but some childish part of him wanted to believe that he was close, and would call back.

But the forest remained quiet. Only the breathing of Merlin's horse and his own sorrowful breath broke the wintry silence that surrounded them. He sank to his knees in despair; he had no lead, no clue… and no hope of finding his friend.

"…where are you?"

* * *

Up on the dead hill overlooking the lands of Albion, the Dæmon stood sentry at the doorway to the 'Lost' and 'Suffering'. Behind him the vault pulsed. He shifted his weight and cocked his head to one side beneath the hood, as though listening to something that wasn't there.

"_Now?_" He asked, his rasping voice but an echo in the desolate forest surrounding them.

The vault shivered and pulsed again.

The Dæmon gave a choking, dry chuckle.

It was time to deliver the invitation.

* * *

"Ngh…" Merlin woke slowly… his head was pounding and his mouth was cotton dry but other than that he could feel no other damage… ok so he was a little cold too. He slowly opened his eyes, trying to remember what exactly happened before he'd blacked out.

He was on his way home… there was a clearing… a lot of snow… and a figure in a grey cloak…

And suddenly the memories came back at full speed. He sat up in a panic and tried to look around at his surroundings but something was covering his eyes… a blindfold?

"Hey! Calm down, it's ok; you're among friends…" A disembodied voice cooed and before he knew it, tender hands found his tense shoulders and gently pushed him back down onto the makeshift bed he'd woken up in. He fought them temporarily before suddenly feeling a wave of exhaustion sweep over him, he relented grudgingly.

"Who…? What…? Where…?" He asked as he tried to make his dry mouth catch up to his brain without breaking out into a fit of coughs. The voice gave an amused chuckle.

"You mean to ask; who am I? What happened and where are you?" It was a female's voice, she sounded young if not a bit wild and rugged. She was a commoner then, probably a lot stronger than she appeared to be too but also probably the one responsible for making the poor attempt of a bed he was currently laying in.

"Yeah…" He admitted before stopping when he felt a tin cup being pushed against his lips. He drank greedily from the cup and wondered why he was blindfolded. When he finished drinking and the cup was taken away, he carefully reached up to his eyes only to have his hands caught by those tender hands of hers again.

"Oh no you don't; those bandages are there for a reason." She admonished, pushing his hands back down. Bandages? Was he hurt? He didn't feel any pain…

"But I don't feel any…" He tried to explain as he made to sit up again but she shushed him and pushed him back into the uncomfortable bed.

"Hush now. You've only just woken up and my medicines are still strong within you. You won't feel any pain right now but believe me, it will come." She explained as she gently made him lay down again. Merlin winced at the thought.

"Oh… thanks for the warning." He replied a little sarcastically. Now that he thought about it, he could feel the slight ache behind his eyes and a strange heavy constriction around his chest.

"No problem." The woman replied. He could hear the smile in her voice. The room went quiet then, or at least he assumed he was in a room. He couldn't hear any outside sounds like the winds or birds or anything, and it was warmer where he lay, still cold but warmer than he remembered being when on his journey home. He strained his ears to hear anyting else but the room was eerily quiet, no signs of life other than his mysterious saviour and himself. "So tell me, what is your name?" She asked suddenly, trying to distract him from the impending pain that was fated to return to him but accidentally scaring him witless too.

"Merlin." He replied a litte breathless, "And you?" He was actually quite curious as to who his helper was, even if he was still a tad suspicious. But that was most probably because he couldn't see her or his surroundings.

"I'm Emily." She replied, sounding as though she'd moved away slightly or turned around. "I suppose you're wondering where you are as well?" She asked, her voice getting slightly louder, as though she'd turned back to face him. But the question brought back the image of the cloaked figure, and the rasping voice in his head.

"No… I know exactly where I am." He said through clenched teeth. "I just don't know why I'm here." He added. He tried to frown but wasn't sure if he managed to pull it off. His face around his eyes seemed numb, as though it'd been frozen or one of Gaius' potions, he couldn't remember which one, had been rubbed into the area.

"Do any of us?" She asked rhetorically. Merlin thought about replying to that but the answer might be a tad offensive to some. And the last thing he wanted to do was insult the person who was helping him.

"So when do you think I'll be able to take these bandages off?" He asked, hoping to change the subject. He knew he was a terrible liar and if she pushed the subject, he'd be caught out. Best to avoid the subject completely then. "I'd like to see the face of my saviour." That's it; flattery will get you everywhere... especially with a woman. Or so Arthur had said many a time. The only woman he'd seen that saying being an exception to was Morgana, but that was just because it was Arthur trying to flatter her. Which in itself was rather amusing to watch.

"I don't know; you've been out for quite a while. A week or maybe more now…" Emily responded, her voice growing distant again but this time he could make out the sound of her feet on the floor. She was moving around, doing something…

"A week?!" He suddenly registered. "I've been out for a week?!" This news bothered him. Gods, Gaius must be worried… and Gwen! She'd be a wreck. And Arthur… he was probably cursing him for disappearing.

"Maybe more… I lost track of the days." Emily replied. A loud clattering sound suddenly half deafened him and he jumped at the unexpected noise. "Sorry, there's just so many things to do and so little time to do them in." She apologised obviously having dropped something accidentally.

"I know the feeling." Merlin replied, slowly relaxing back into the bed. "You haven't answered my question…" He pushed, fingering the bandages around his eyes and longing to take them off and look around at where he was.

"I know. I'm avoiding it." And for some reason her response didn't sit well with him. A cold feeling of dread slowly washed over him, gripping his heart in a cold and tight embrace. And he knew he didn't want to know the answer. His gut was telling him that something was wrong. Very wrong.

And yet he still had to ask…

"Why?" His throat had dried up again and he found himself griping the sides of the makeshift bed. He heard her take a breath and let it out again slowly. She didn't want to tell him. He didn't want to hear it.

"Because I…" She began but stopped, unwilling to go on. And that was all Merlin needed to hear.

"You don't know if I'll be able to see again, do you?" He asked, voicing his suspicions and dreading the answer.

She sighed again.

"I'm sorry…"


	4. Chapter 4

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

**Summary:** _Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless._

**Disclaimer:** This is a Fan-fiction story of the T.V Series; Merlin, and is in no way affiliated with the actual series. All Characters and other materials related to the show that are used are not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. Elemental-Zer0 takes sole responsibility for any mistakes or offence that may be taken but truly not meant.

However, this story plot and all Characters not affiliated with the show are Copyright © 2009 to Elemental-Zer0.

**Authors Note/Warnings:** _I'm sorry if that last chapter was confusing in Merlin's location – I'll tell you now all will be explained. The vault is only the entrance to where Merlin is. What lies beyond will be explained in this chapter, or if not this one then within the next few chapters…_

_And yes, have you ever imagined losing your sight? What the world would feel like? I thought it was apt for the lessons that I shall have them learn in this fic. – No I'm not telling you those yet, that would spoil the story! :P (besides, I've only just found a muse for this fic…which is probably why this chapter is slightly longer that my previous chapters)._

_Again, let me know what you think, but no flames please. If you have any criticism to make please do it politely otherwise I shall ignore your words. (It's happened before, I'm sorry to say, and I hadn't even posted any chapters…)_

* * *

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

The wind rattled loudly against windows of the small laboratory. And although the fire roared in its grate, there was still a cold, damp mood hanging in the air. Morgana pulled her shawl closer around her and shivered at the tense atmosphere.

"Where is Arthur?" Gaius asked, praying he wasn't too late but already knowing he was. The Prince never waited too long if a friend was in need. A trait he could sometimes do with out, Gaius noted absently.

"He took Merlin's horse. He's searching the track to Ealdor as we speak." Morgana replied, still shivering in her seat. The windows rattled again as though mocking the despairing situation.

"He won't find anything there. I know exactly what's taken Merlin." Gaius muttered as he took down a few books from one of his many over-stacked shelves and leafed through a few, knowing his answers were on a page somewhere beneath his fingers. "We'll have to wait for Arthur to return. Where Merlin is, he can't follow." He added mysteriously and the windows shook again as if to emphasize the danger implied. Morgana paled, not quite sure if she wanted to know the answer to her next question.

"Where is he?" She asked it anyway, albeit fearfully; this place Gaius was describing sounded a lot like the afterlife and she feared that that might be the case.

Gaius turned to her with a scrutinising eye, wondering if he should explain it to her or not. Morgana held his stare, challenging him to deny her the answers that she sought; her stubborn streak reigning strong, even if her bravado felt rather weak in comparison. Finally the old man sighed and shook his head. "You'll want to sit down for this Morgana." He warned, giving her the look that told her she wasn't going to like what he had to say. But he dropped her gaze a second later and moved to the bed he kept for his patients and stole the heavy blanket to wrap around her shoulders. She took it gratefully and wrapped herself up in its warm embrace before sitting down next to the fire.

She watched him for a moment as he moved back to his books that were stacked opposite her on a table that had obviously seen better days. He was quiet as he read a few pages before giving a sigh, his breath puffing out in the cold room. "Have you heard of the legend of a Labyrinth of the Lost?" He asked tentatively. She shook her head but she knew that this strange place was where Gaius suspected Merlin to be, so she paid special attention to his words as he explained to her this mysterious place. "It is a magical place, where souls are collected and imprisoned for a purpose." He said, sending shivers down her spine that had nothing to do with the retreating cold. "These souls are supposed to learn a lesson in life to become a better person, but most of the time it's the other way round; the imprisoned soul is trapped to teach someone else a lesson." He said, looking up at her then and giving her an unreadable look.

"Like the proverb?" She asked hesitantly, "You know the one," She added at his confused look, "'You don't know what you have until its gone'…" She prompted. Gaius' eyes finally lit up in understanding.

"Yes, like the proverb." He agreed giving her proud smile. He'd taught her those proverbs after all. But Morgana still had a few questions;

"I don't understand though; how does it know a lesson needs to be taught? How does it teach these lessons? And what has that symbol got to do with any of this?" She asked, pulling the blanket closer as a particularly strong gust of wind threatened to shatter the windows in their fittings. "And why take Merlin?!" She was becoming frustrated with how many answers she needed. But the last one worried her most of all. _Why_ Merlin? What had poor, sweet Merlin done to deserve such a fate? She owed the boy a lot. He hadn't judged her when she'd told him of her powers; he hadn't turned her in to the King like a normal person would have. Instead he'd helped her; he'd even found the Druids for her and showed her the way to them and then came to warn her of what her disappearance had caused back in Camelot… He didn't have to. But he did. And he wasn't afraid of her like she expected everyone to be.

"Calm down, all are valid points child." Gaius' voice penetrated her reverie like a steel arrow shattering a glass bubble. She wasn't aware that he'd moved over to her and was holding her shoulders in his firm hands but when she noticed, she was centred; safe. "I don't know how it knows, or how it teaches those it needs to teach, but the symbol you saw is the mark of a _Dæmon_; a spirit who collects these souls and imprisons them in the Labyrinth." He continued to explain as he began to rub her shoulders in hopes of warming her up a bit quicker and possibly calm her down some more. "As for why it took Merlin I can only guess…" It was working. She felt warmer, more grounded.

"So how do we save him?" She asked, feeling a little hopeful now that they roughly knew where Merlin was being kept.

"Well that depends on who the Dæmon is trying to teach." Gaius replied as he stopped his ministrations and stood slowly. "If its Arthur he's trying to teach, then the Dæmon will present itself to him and offer a chance to save him. There'll be some tests he'd have to go through in order to prove himself worthy of regaining his lost friend and what not…" He mumbled away as he started leafing through his books again. She watched as thousands of dust particles were sent flying into the dim sunlight that leaked through the bleak windows that shivered again.

"And if it isn't Arthur?" She asked, not taking her eyes off the dancing dust. She had a feeling that she may not like the answer.

"Then it must be Merlin he's trying to teach…" Gaius responded heavily and a tight cold hand suddenly caught her heart. "And Merlin will have to learn that lesson or he'll never leave the Labyrinth…"

* * *

A dark twilight hovered over Camelot like a shadow hanging over a dark alley. Heavy clouds were only just visible on the gloomy horizon and a forceful wind howled through the plains that surrounded the city's entrance. Snow would fall tonight.

Feeling spooked already, it was no surprise that the two knights who stood sentry at the gates of Camelot took the heavy cloaked man approaching the gates a little suspiciously. A cold feeling that had nothing to do with the winter season gripped them in a loose embrace and neither one wanted to be the one to greet the suspicious stranger.

But someone had to.

"Halt, who goes there?" The knight wasn't exactly being unfriendly, just cautious. The man had to understand that at least. If he didn't, well, he wasn't much of a decent man then.

The grey cloaked man stopped at the knight's command, his hood too low to show a face. But he didn't speak.

"I said 'who goes there'?" The knight repeated as he took a step forward. The hood shifted slightly.

"_A messenger…_" The voice that assaulted them was unlike anything they'd heard before. It was dry and papery, cracked like a desert floor but strong enough to command some respect. "_I have an invitation, to deliver._" The wind howled again behind the stranger, showing an omen for what it was but the knights took no heed. Instead, though they were slightly shocked at such an old and raspy voice, they let him pass; reasoning that he must have been an old hermit and not used to speaking. Which would also explain why he didn't want to speak before.

"Creepy guy…" The knight murmured.

"Of that my friend, I am certain…" His partner replied, still shaking off the goose-bumps.

* * *

"So where is this Labyrinth? And why a Labyrinth if all he's doing is holding them as prisoners?" Arthur asked. They'd managed to catch him and Gwen, who had randomly asked after Merlin, as he returned earlier that afternoon empty handed (_save for Merlin's dagger_). He'd looked at them with a very down-faced expression but Morgana had quickly reassured him that Gaius hadn't held much hope for finding Merlin out there now anyways. And after having filled both Arthur and Gwen in on what they had discussed so far, Morgana and Gaius along with Gwen and Arthur were gathered in Gaius' laboratory discussing the Labyrinth of the Lost.

"Well as the legend goes, the Labyrinth is part of the final test." Gaius explained as he leafed through his books one last time to make sure he hadn't missed anything. "If you are invited to rescue Merlin, which I strongly believe you will be-"

"Hold on, why do you believe that?" Arthur interrupted a little suspiciously. "Earlier you said it could be that Merlin needed to learn a lesson and that would mean no one would be invited anywhere." Morgana and Gwen both turned to Gaius from their seated position by the fire for an explanation too, for what the Prince had said was true. Gaius looked up then, realising he hadn't explained it all properly. He sighed.

"That's correct, because there would be no where to invite anyone to." He began, "If the Dæmon wanted to teach Merlin a lesson that he had to learn for himself of himself, he would unleash that lesson within this world." He looked around to see if anyone had understood but all he saw were three blank faces staring at him as though he were speaking another language.

He sighed again but the windows took that moment to rattle noisily and drowned out the sound. He thought for a moment on how to further explain the mysteries of the Labyrinth in question.

"Ok let me give you an example." He started again, capturing everyone's undivided attention. "If one were relying too heavily upon his ability to speak in order to get to where he wanted to be -perhaps he steals but sweet talks his way out of it and argues points that say someone else may have done his deed- then the Dæmon would teach him a lesson by taking away his voice. You see, in order for such lessons to be learned, one must experience the lesson in a real environment where one's life is at risk." He scrutinised the faces around him. Morgana seemed to have understood and so too did Gwen but Arthur's was fixed in a confused scowl. Gaius watched as he slowly sat down on the bench next to him, and he waited for the Prince to speak his question.

He didn't have to wait long.

"So if the Dæmon teaches these lessons in this world, why take some to this labyrinth place?" He asked, directing his clear but confused gaze to the old physician. A valid point, Gaius conceded.

"The Labyrinth of the Lost is where the Dæmon stores the souls that are being neglected or abused by another whose destiny needs that person." He tried again to explain but Arthur's face just screwed up even more.

"I still don't follow." He complained. Gaius sighed again, explaining this wouldn't be easy.

"Ok imagine this; a man's business is destined to become a Great Blacksmith, one that is known across the world…" He paused looking to Arthur to see if he understood.

"Yes… I can see it." The young Royal admitted.

"Ok, this man has a son who he sends to do errands and odd jobs but never teaches him the trade. Still with me?" Gaius asked, making sure he was still following his explanation.

"So far yes." Prince Arthur acknowledged.

"Well," Gaius continued, "this man does not treat his son very well; he is a busy man with his new business, leaving his son to look after his sick mother and his six younger siblings but on top of that the son is also running around after his father too." As he explained he could feel the atmosphere becoming tense. The wind was but a whisper in the background now, the roar of the fire but an echo of its previous volume. They were enraptured by his story.

"One day the Dæmon came and stole the boy away, leaving six young children and a sick mother to fend for themselves. The father is suddenly overwhelmed by the amount of work laid unto him but is also distraught that his only son has been kidnapped. The Dæmon invited him to partake in three tests, and the man accepted the invitation. He passed all three tests, earned his son's freedom and trust again and taught his son the trade. And it just so turned out that boy had a gifted talent for black-smitherie and that it was for that reason alone, this man's business became the most renowned business in the world." He finished with a flourish of his hands. He then eyed his listeners and took great relief in the understanding they finally showed.

"I see…" Prince Arthur began after a moments pause, "but again though, why a labyrinth?"

Ah yes, Gaius thought, he hadn't gotten around to that bit yet had he?

"Yes, you remember those tests I just mentioned?" he asked. The Prince gave a mute nod. "If you accept the invitation, you will be put through three difficult tests to prove your worthiness of reclaiming your friend's freedom and it's said that the Labyrinth is the last test. The prisoners are kept in the middle of the Labyrinth – a place known as the Glade – and you must fight tooth and nail to get to him in time." He explained feeling much like an abused tutor being hammered for every ounce of knowledge that he knew.

Arthur began to nod but suddenly latched on to Gaius' last words. "Wait… in time? In time for what?" Gaius froze. And Arthur's eyes narrowed when the old physician gave him that heart-aching look that meant things wouldn't be easy or to his liking. And he feared that the old man had been trying to avoid thinking about this particular part of the legend. He could only imagine why and unfortunately, his musing didn't have to last long.

"Well, as the story goes, you have a time limit." Great, that's exactly what he'd feared most of all. "All the souls that are trapped in the Labyrinth will have a binding shackle, like a bracelet that you can't remove, and when you accept the trials you will receive one too. From the moment yours clicks into place, you will be binded to him and him alone. If you decide to back out, the band will un-tether you from him forever. You'll effectively lose your only chance at saving him." Gaius intoned, looking up at him with expectant eyes before lowering them again to the fire he'd taken to staring at.

"It also says that the bands will glow. It's said to have three segments, two smaller segments and a larger one. The two smaller segments will glow when you have completed the first two tests. The third one however, will act like an hourglass and will count down your time left to rescue Merlin…" Gaius trailed off as he remembered that last bit of the story.

Arthur frowned. "What aren't you telling me Gaius?"

Gaius didn't move, his eyes focussing only on the hearth. He was quiet for a time before he recited the last few passages of text he'd read and re read all afternoon; his voice emotionless but his whole body rigid with worry. "The bracelet induces a horrendous pain unto the prisoner if the time is left to run down completely…" The old man found that his knees would no longer hold him up anymore. This was not lost on the Prince who quickly caught the frail old man and directed him to the chair as he continued to speak. "The closer the glowing light is to the end, the more painful the episodes." The wind howled again then fell silent.

And Arthur tensed before looking away, "Damnit…" He wanted to kick something, punch something… _any_thing! "So how do I get a hold of this invitation?" He asked, trying to compose himself.

"You don't. It will come to you."


	5. Chapter 5

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

**Summary:** _Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless._

**Disclaimer:** This is a Fan-fiction story of the T.V Series; Merlin, and is in no way affiliated with the actual series. All Characters and other materials related to the show that are used are not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. Elemental-Zer0 takes sole responsibility for any mistakes or offence that may be taken but truly not meant.

However, this story plot and all Characters not affiliated with the show are Copyright © 2009 to Elemental-Zer0.

**Authors Note/Warnings:** _Well, so far everyone seems to understand my Labyrinth idea… good, I'm glad! But if you don't, please contact me and I'll try explaining it again. A good author should be able to communicate that which he wishes his readers to understand. So if you don't understand, I've done a bad job of explaining and that needs to be rectified._

_That aside, here's chapter four… Enjoy!_

_Again, let me know what you think, but no flames please. If you have any criticism to make please do it politely otherwise I shall ignore your words. (It's happened before, I'm sorry to say, and I hadn't even posted any chapters…)_

* * *

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

'_Ok Merlin, don't panic… I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason for all this… and Gaius will know how to cure it_.' Because after all, this _must_ be the work of magic, he reasoned… there was no other way of explaining his sudden blindness! He didn't remember an attack to his eyes, nor any lasting damage that might be the cause either. It _had_ to be magic… right? And if it was, then Gaius would lift the enchantment…he had no doubts about that. No doubts at all. So why did his body feel so cold all of a sudden?

"Merlin?" Emily… sweet, sweet Emily. She'd taken him in like this and nursed him back to as close to healthy as she probably could. She shouldn't blame herself; this wasn't her fault.

"It's ok Emily. I'm alive… thanks to you." He said as he sat himself up and reached out to where he'd last heard her voice. All he felt was cold, thin air until two warm hands found his hand and pulled it gently to the left a little. Ok so his coordination was off a little, give him a break, he was new to this not-seeing thing! "Besides, I have a friend back home who may be able to reverse this." He added, giving her warm hands a reassuring squeeze. It was frustrating not being able to see her reaction. Of course, he expected disbelief considering the extent of his disability now.

"A friend who can cure blindness?" She asked dubiously, her voice noticeably close all of a sudden… or was that just him? He honestly had no idea if she was supposed to sound that loud to him without seeing her distance.

"Well, I don't think this was caused by natural means." He theorised aloud, changing his uncertain focus for the moment, "I believe someone used magic. If it's an enchantment, my friend will be able to reverse it." He explained offhandedly but Emily's hands tightened around his cold one. She didn't feel as confident as he did on this then?

"And when do you think you'll be seeing him again Merlin?" She asked with a tremor in her voice. His hackles were suddenly alert. She was afraid to tell him something again… But what could he have missed? He wasn't sure but he needed to lighten the mood.

"If Arthur has anything to say about it, I'll be seeing him soon…" He replied jokingly but for some reason it didn't work. She only sighed and let his hand go and shuffled away. And suddenly he had no idea where she was. Ugh, this was disorientating.

"Are you sure you know where you are?" She asked, sounding a little further away than she had before. "This place is impossible to find without an invitation you know and it's also impossible to escape from. Believe me I've tried!" He couldn't be too sure, but he thought he'd heard a light sniffle and a larger tremor in her voice.

"Emily?" He asked, reaching his hand out again.

She didn't take it. He let it drop.

"I'm sorry; I just hate this place…" She replied, sniffling again. She was crying? He could just imagine her now, facing away some where not too for away but she was in her own world of misery, not seeing him or the room at all. "Ever since that creepy cloaked man came for me, I've had to suffer this same Glade day in and day out. We barely get by here, there's hardly any food, not enough shelter and too many mouths to feed." She listed before going quiet.

Merlin remained silent for a moment. People were suffering here? That's not how the legend went… it was supposed to be habitable, not comfortable no, but definitely liveable – no different to the real world outside. He frowned. He'd have to dig around and see – no, _discover_ what had happened. If he could '_see_' it'd be easier but no, fate had to put a spanner in that cog.

Meanwhile he couldn't just sit around and let people suffer like this. He just had to help! But how? He _could _use magic but he had no idea whether these people were as adverse to magic as Uther was. Would they accept him for what he was? Or burn him alive?

He didn't really like the sound of the latter.

But these people… they needed help. And if he could help them…

"Lay back Merlin, you need to rest." Her voice scared him again and he was suddenly depressed at that; was this how his life would be from now on? Would he be jumping at every sound? ...No. Gaius would fix things. He had to. But before he could continued that thought, gentle hands pushed him down again like so many times before. "And I need to inform the Glade Elder that you're awake." She muttered again before leaving his side. A single set of footsteps faded away as though she were walking out of the room.

"Glade Elder? Who's he?" Merlin asked curiously. He wasn't ready just yet to be alone in the dark lonely blackness. He heard her stop. He sat up again and he could almost hear her deliberating with herself before deciding to humour his questionings for the moment. He heard her come closer, her light rapid footfalls the only indication of that.

"He's the oldest man in the Glade," She began, her voice closer now, and the scent of lavender suddenly hit his nostrils. Had she always smelt like lavender or was this a recent thing? He wondered. But she continued so he paid attention. "He's been here longer than any of us. He met his wife here and they had a son but sadly she passed away a few summers ago. She used to tend the small vegetable patch that managed to feed us all somehow but her attempts at teaching us how to farm it lead no where. Since then he's let only experienced farmers near the patch of land but nothing seems to grow there anymore." She explained. _Right_, Merlin thought, _so he's probably the elected 'Prime Minister' of a fashion then_.

"Say, do you know much about farming?" Emily suddenly asked, as though an idea had only just popped into her head. Sure, he'd helped his mother and their patch of vegetables back in Ealdor for nearly all his life. He also knew what types of soil would be best for different vegetables and the weather conditions too. He gave a confident nod and she continued in earnest. "Good, because I'm hoping that maybe he'll let you try. You'll have to convince him though…" She explained. But this confused Merlin. It seemed like she was hiding something from him.

"Emily? Why does it matter if I can farm or not? Surely I can tell someone what to do…" He asked, but she interrupted him quickly.

"No! No Merlin you have to keep your trade to you and you alone." She replied in an urgent tone. She was starting to scare him now. "If you aren't the only one who can do that trade your worth here is naught and you'll be…" But she trailed off, not wanting to explain again. It lead to something bad then.

"I'll be what Emily?" He prompted, reaching out with his hand. His hand awkwardly found a set of curly locks that felt a little tangled and in his minds eye he could see long beautiful locks of golden hair tumbling from her scalp. Slowly, he moved his hand down meeting a small flesh like bump with his feather light fingertips and he assumed he'd found her nose. Her hand took his then and she held on to it, bringing it down to her lap.

"…You'll be cast out to the wrath of the Labyrinth. Alone."

Merlin frowned. Surely that can't be right? The Glade was made for everyone who'd been taken by the Dæmon, so everyone had a right to stay in the Glade regardless of who was acting as a self appointed Prime Minister. "I don't understand Emily. Why throw them out?"

He heard her take a breath and her hands tightened around his. "If the newcomers can't prove their worth, most are sent into the labyrinth to scavenge or hunt for food. Those who aren't worthy, never return. Those who do but with nothing to show for their hunt… are sent out again and again until they either bring back their first meal or just stop returning." She explained morbidly. Merlin was shocked. Such cruelty, why?!

"But their friends! Their families! …Surely they need a chance to be rescued by them?!" He floundered, outrage flashed pure and simple on his blindfolded face.

"Merlin… no one has been rescued for four hundred years." What?... No that's not possible… "Not once has a bracelet lit up to prove that someone is coming for one of us…" Four hundred years? How could she know that unless she was that old? Or was it the Elders' passing on that knowledge? "Please understand; we have no choice. Food is in short supply; we can't feed the mouths we have in this Glade. If you have no use, or skill you're discarded to the wrath of the Labyrinth and its dark creatures."

Merlin swallowed thickly and felt his body suddenly become too cold with the clarity of it all. Ok, so the situation was desperate. Bit of an understatement actually; the situation was dire! He understood now why Emily was so insistent that he keep his trade to himself… but what of his other trade? What if he could fix the situation so that no one would have to be kicked out of the Glade again?

But what if he burned because of it?

"And what of my case?" He asked tentatively. Knowing that without his sight, he'd be an invalid to the so called 'Prime Minister' of the Glade. He'd be an extra mouth to feed that no one could afford to have around. He'd be a food supply deplenisher.

"You're weak Merlin, no offence, and you have no sight and no obvious skill. If you can farm, he may think about letting you attempt to tend the vegetable patch." She squeezed his hand as though she were trying to reassure him that she'd try her best to help him in any way that she could. She'd already done so much for him though; it was time he tried to pay back that debt ten fold.

"Emily, about your Glade Elder?" He began, not really expecting this plan to go as he was hoping. "Is he… is he adverse to magic?" He asked, holding his breath for a moment.

He felt her shift her weight before she replied, "I don't think so. Why?" Ok that was good news… Could he really hope for acceptance here?

"Maybe I _can_ do something?" He wouldn't know unless he tried…

"What do you mean?" He could hear the confusion and slight frustration in her voice but he needed to do this right. He needed to show her what he was capable of, otherwise if he tried to explain it and failed in making her understand, he'd be classed as a loony as well as an invalid.

"Just let me try something…" He said, not waiting for her to consent. Still slightly unsure of her reaction and whether he'd find himself tied to a burning pyre in a few seconds, he took a determined breath and let it out slowly. And despite being blind he could still feel her eyes watching him as though he'd grown a second head. Ignoring that feeling, he cupped his hands together then held them close to his lips and whispered a few ancient words. "_Eälléath bréach flagellum_…" The words flowed graciously from his lips, a husky breath helping them fly. He felt his power react just underneath the surface of his skin; it tingled for a moment before fading away completely. Slowly, he opened his cupped hands for her to see…

She gasped.

And he smiled. At least she hadn't cried out '_Sorcerer!_'… yet.

Then he frowned; "It's not a thistle is it?" He asked, worried that he'd messed up again. She seemed to struggle with her words, and he wondered if he _would_ actually burn at the stake today, but she finally managed to splutter out a coherent sentence;

"How did you do that?" Well, she wasn't screaming blue murder…

"I have a few talents besides farming…" He replied, still waiting for the penny to drop. "But seriously, it's not a thistle is it?" Even if they were going to burn him, he still wanted to know if he'd finally mastered that bloody spell! It didn't feel like a thistle, but that could mean he just wasn't very artistic this time round…

"No, you made a small pile of strawberries." Oh sweet heavens! He did it!

"Yes!" He cheered, then coughed after he realised how embarrassing his behaviour had just been, "Sorry… I've been practicing that one for a while now and never got it right. I've had cherry tomatoes, blackberries, roses, daffodils, raspberries and more often than not thistles…" He explained, "I care not for the plant in the same I did before I tell you now." Ok yes, now he was rambling, and hoping that if he rambled long enough she'd forget his little trick. He didn't like this feeling, it felt so…naked and exposed. The last time he'd felt this exposed was when Uther had nearly found out his secret… and the time the Witch Finder had accused him of using magic. Neither were pleasant memories.

"Oh Merlin, you are a miracle!" And apparently that feeling was completely unwarranted. But he still jumped at her cry.

"I try…" He breathed… and revelled in the fact that he was still breathing. And then the elation wore off and he felt tired and so very drained as well.

"Merlin? You don't look well." Apparently he looked how he felt too. And before he knew it, her warm hands were on his clammy forehead and the tin cup was back again. "Here, have a drink." Her voice was extraordinarily close again and he couldn't help but feel a hot blush creep up into his white cheeks. He took a sip; the water was cool and refreshing but tasted of moss and dirt. He moved his head away to indicate that he didn't need any more.

"Don't worry, it's just I wasn't sure if you'd burn me or not for that trick." He tried to explain, but for some reason he couldn't seem to think straight. He was tired and exhausted. Maybe his attack was catching up with him?

"Why would we do that?" She asked, her soft voice hovering far too close for his comfort. He moved away slightly but she took that as a sign that he wanted to lay back down and so she moved her hands from his face. The sound of pillows being fluffed found his ears next and then a gentle hand was pushing him down on to the bed.

"Well, it's kind of outlawed in my home town." He explained as he tried to suppress a yawn but failed miserably. "It's a crime of the highest proportion and its only penalty is Death." He finished after his yawn ended. He was kind of sleepy now that he thought about it…

"Oh…" Was all she could say to that. He hadn't expected much else…

"But if you lead me to the dirt," He continued groggily, "I can try a large scale growth spurt like my strawberry trick if you like?" He offered, with a childish smile. He felt Emily smirk at that but then he turned serious; "Do you think he'll let me stay? Or kick me out to the Labyrinth?" And that was when he heard her laugh for the first time.

"Ha, with that trick of yours you'll be classed as royalty! You have nothing to fear Merlin!" She said, and he could still hear the smile in her words, felt her happy energy rolling off her tender hands in waves. "I must speak with him," She continued, her voice softer, lower as he drifted off. "You get some rest Merlin. I'll be back soon."

* * *

A cold air hung in the dark halls of the palace, like a damp icy mist that one just couldn't see. It was there all the same though, one could feel it chill him to his bones and settle in his stomach with only the uneasiness that the unknown could instil.

Something sinister had passed through these halls, and it stood outside Prince Arthur's room at present. A steel bracelet, with three jewels encrusted upon the metal work, held loosely in his skeletal fingers.

The door swung open with no hand or wind to guide it.

He stepped inside, the icy air following him like cloak.

And the door swung shut behind him with an echoing bang that reverberated throughout the entire castle, yet woke no one from their slumber.

The cloaked figure turned to the bed where a half naked Arthur lay in a restless sleep, tossing this way and that every few minutes; his breath suddenly appearing in small puffy clouds above his face. His body convulsed in an unconscious shiver.

The dark intruder gave a low whispery chuckle.

"_There will be more to suffer soon young one, be grateful for this moment of peace that you have…_" The stranger crooned, his voice was the same papery echo of the messenger from the gates a few hours earlier. Arthur tossed again in his bed, hands unconsciously grabbing his covers and pulling them around him, as the messenger delicately placed the binding bracelet -_the invitation_- down on the table that stood before the fire grate. "_For some, the nightmare has already started…_"


	6. Chapter 6

Labyrinth of the Lost

**Summary:** _Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless._

**Disclaimer:** This is a Fan-fiction story of the T.V Series; Merlin, and is in no way affiliated with the actual series. All Characters and other materials related to the show that are used are not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. Elemental-Zer0 takes sole responsibility for any mistakes or offence that may be taken but truly not meant.

However, this story plot and all Characters not affiliated with the show are Copyright © 2009 to Elemental-Zer0.

**Authors Note/Warnings:** …_As the story continues, the plot thickens and the odds are being stacked against our heroes. Will Arthur and Merlin ever see each other again when so many factors are trying to keep them apart?_

_Lol, well for a story that had no original plot or storyline, I'd say this is an achievement of some sort… maybe? Still not sure if it'd survive a round of writers block though… and yet that seems to be a far off threat because the ideas just seem to keep coming. _

_Good news for you guys then eh?_

_Again, let me know what you think, but no flames please. If you have any criticism to make please do it politely otherwise I shall ignore your words. (It's happened before, I'm sorry to say, and I hadn't even posted any chapters…)_

* * *

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

Arthur woke with a start. His heart was racing a mile a minute and he could feel the ice cold sweat as it ran rivulets down his back and chest. The feeling of fear still gripping his heart in an ice cold fist…

The dream he'd had already fading at the edges.

He looked around breathlessly as if to make sure he was really awake but the soft light of dawn creeping through his windows were proof enough for him.

He shivered.

Had it been this cold last night? His fire was still smouldering in its grate so it shouldn't be so cold, so why was it? He wondered as he fumbled with his covers to get out of bed. The stone floor was freezing on his poor feet but he braved the winter morning with a prideful step… that steered very quickly to the rugs and tried to stay there until he had some warmer footwear on.

He strode to his wardrobe and found a warm tunic, long woolly socks, some sturdy boots and set of hose that he slipped into almost immediately, discarding his nightwear for a cleaner to deal with later. Then he moved to his fire grate to stoke the fire up and possibly add another log, but before he could even venture near the only source of warmth his room had, he found himself frozen by the table.

There, staring innocently at him from its place on the table was a crude jewelled bracelet that looked much like the one Gaius had described in the legends of the Labyrinth of the Lost.

The Dæmon. It had been here. In his room.

He'd been so close… and yet Merlin was still so far away.

He reached out and grabbed the bracelet with a tight fist, and he held it close as though it were his last and only link to Merlin. And seconds later, he was running through the dawn-lit halls to Gaius chambers.

This was the invitation… it had to be!

His boots clapped against the cold stones of the hallway floors, he passed no one. It was too early to be up, he surmised in the back of his mind but he kept running still. This was important. Gaius would understand this early morning call.

In minutes he was rapping on the door to Gaius' laboratory with an uneven but urgent tempo. The cold air around him forgotten completely as he waited impatiently and began rapping on the door again.

* * *

Gaius woke to the sound of ten knights banging on his door.

Or so it sounded.

"Gaius?!"

He didn't want to deal with this…

_Bang, bang, bang, bang_… "Gaius! Open up!"

But apparently he was going to have to. He groaned.

Wearily, he lifted himself out of bed and shivered in the cold morning air. How he hated the winter months, the cold played up with his arthritis something chronic, and he found that his joints were always a lot stiffer around this time of year.

The banging pounded on his door and into his skull again, forcing the old man to leave the warmth and comfort of his bed and venture out into the cold room.

"Yes, yes, I'm coming." He called groggily as he shuffled to the door, a blanket wrapped around him as he went. Old fingers fumbled with the latch until the door swung open and there in the doorway stood a slightly frantic Prince.

"Arthur?" But Gaius barely had time to get the word past his lips before the young, inconsiderate man barged into his chambers and slammed the door shut behind him.

"Gaius, the invitation… it came." He claimed solemnly, brandishing the bejewelled steel bracelet at the old physician. Gaius frowned for a moment, his eyes studying the piece of metal thrust into his face while his ears tried to process the Prince's words, before understanding finally dawned on his face.

"The invitation?!" He asked rhetorically, shock evident on his face. All previous thoughts of sleep and cold winter days were abandoned; he was wide awake now. He reached out and took the metal contraption in his old hands, studying it in every which way he could. It was a steel bracelet and three gems were encrusted upon the surface. It didn't look much different to a normal bracelet. He frowned.

"So, how do I accept this invitation? Do I wait to be contacted or do I just go ahead and put this thing on?" Arthur asked, his serious eyes never leaving the item in the old physician's hands. This was the only ticket to saving Merlin, how could he afford to let it out of his sight?

"We must be careful Arthur. This is powerful magic, the kind your father would explode at if he ever found it in Camelot." Gaius warned over the top of the spectacles he'd just placed on his nose. He had to make sure the Prince knew what he was heading into if he decided he wanted to accept the invitation. "By accepting the invitation, you are admitting that you have wronged Merlin in some way. Underappreciated him some how. 'Took him for granted' is another way to explain it." He explained, but knew he'd hit a dead end when Arthur's face scrunched up in confusion. This was going to be difficult.

"How can I not? He's my servant…" The Prince asked. Gaius sighed and sat down on his forsaken bed, pulling the blankets around him as he did. How did he tell a royal pain in the ass how much of a royal pain in the ass he was and get him to understand? And without revealing too much about Merlin…?

"Arthur, you can't just put it on and hope to be whisked away. You have to think about this; you have to feel remorse for what you've done. But to do that you have to figure out what it is that you have done. Like the blacksmith in my story last night." He explained carefully.

Understanding slowly crept onto the Prince's features but then his face turned into a scowl…

"You mean _I'm_ to blame?!" He exploded. How dare they insinuate such a claim! He'd done nothing more than treat Merlin the way he was supposed to be treated, he was just a servant! Hell, he'd even done a few things he didn't need to, like help him defend his home village from robbing taxers. How was he underappreciating Merlin?!

Gaius stared back at him calmly. "The invitation came to you did it not?" He asked in a calm way. The Prince stared at him dumbly for a moment, disbelief quite evident on his face but Gaius had to sigh and look away. The cold bit into him hard. And he knew this decision wasn't an easy one. But fate had dictated that Arthur would not become a Great King without Merlin by his side. He just had to have faith… "Sit down Arthur. I don't believe this is entirely your fault. You can't underappreciate knowledge that you don't yet know?" Yes, Gaius had decided that it was time the Prince learned the truth. And though he knew it was not his secret to tell, the situation couldn't be helped. Arthur had to know what he was going to risk his life for, _who_ he was fighting for… and why.

Arthur sat down suspiciously, dimly aware of the cold air shifting at his movement but then settling around him again, and watched the old man has he agonised over his next words. What knowledge did he not know about Merlin? What could he possibly have missed?

"Arthur," Gaius finally began, but Arthur could see he was having trouble with his decision to tell this secret, "You have to understand that Merlin has never kept any truths from you that I haven't forbade him to tell." So Merlin was told not to tell? "Please blame me for this secret, but please understand why I kept it that way." The old man paused to look at him, probably to see if he understood what he had asked of him.

Arthur frowned again; Gaius was begging him to see this relevant piece of knowledge in a bright light and from all directions… He could promise that. He supposed. He gave a nod, "Go on…"

Gaius sighed, it was now or never… all or nothing.

"What do you feel toward the use of magic, Arthur? Truly."

Arthur's frown deepened. He didn't like where this conversation was going. Why was Gaius dancing around with discussions of magic when he could be well on his way to saving Merlin? "It is evil." He replied anyway, feeling a chill run down his spine that had nothing to do with the wintry weather. "It corrupts the souls of humans and forces their hand to act out deeds of evil… what has this to do with Merlin?" He asked impatiently, eager to rescue his friend regardless of how many skeletons he was hiding in his closet.

But Gaius ignored his question and went into full lecture mode. "It has been known for a long time that magic is neither good nor evil Arthur." He intoned and gave the Prince a meaningful look. "I, myself, can perform magic. I still can now. And I have had every opportunity to perform evil deeds and yet I have not." The old physician fell silent then.

At first Arthur thought this was a joke, that he'd missed the punch line, but then the old man's words actually hit him. And suddenly he couldn't breathe properly.

"You? ...you can…" He spluttered for a moment before recovering, "Those are heavy words Gaius! Do you know what you are saying?!" He all but hissed into the too early morning. But Gaius just stared back at him with that infuriating calm face.

"Yes Arthur I know exactly what I'm saying, but do you?" And all Arthur could think of was pure rage; how could Gaius claim this?! Was he mocking him for having trusted him with his life for so many years?!

Gaius could see that Arthur had worked himself into a fit of rage and knew he had to calm the boy down before continuing. "Think about my words Arthur!" He cried loud enough to get the Prince's attention. Ice blue eyes snapped to the old man, a raging whirlwind of betrayal and anger very evident behind them. "Have I performed an evil deed? Would I admit my sorcery to you if I planned to?" Gaius asked, holding the boy's glare with his calm and logical stare.

It took a while, but finally the Prince started to see sense.

"No…" He finally, albeit reluctantly, relented. Hadn't he once thought his father could be wrong about magic? He'd been proven wrong then but maybe that was only case specific…

Gaius watched again as the young Prince pulled himself together as much as he could. It was now or never…

"The same applies to Merlin…" He saw the Prince freeze, but he had to continue lest the Prince marched out before he could explain. "He's had every opportunity to use it for bad, for evil but he hasn't." Gaius flinched when he saw the Prince's hands clench around the seat of the bench he was sat on. "In fact he's _saved_ you, saved your father and Camelot more times than I can remember…" But as Gaius trailed off, trying to find another way to calm the Prince down, Arthur took the moment of silence to speak.

"Are you telling me… that _Merlin_ can also use…" He couldn't say it. But the fact that Gaius remained quiet was all the answer he needed.

"Your destiny," Gaius began softly, after a moment's hesitation. "Your destiny is so intertwined with Merlin's, that it's hard to tell them apart. You are underappreciating his gift for sorcery, yet you can hardly be blamed because you didn't know." The atmosphere was getting tense, the situation sticky.

And Arthur found his anger building up again. "He lied to me… You! You lied to me! You're… you're sorcerers?!" He struck out at the physician verbally, jumping up from his seat and pointing an accusing finger at the old man shivering in his bed.

"And you are being narrow-minded when you promised you would be open-minded!" Gaius snapped as he too stood, his blankets all but forgotten. "Open your eyes boy! In all the time you've known Merlin, have you ever seen him act in an uncaring way? Performed an act of cruelty? Have I?" Gaius had never raised his voice to a member of the Royal family, not once in his many years of serving, but this was an act of preservation. He was defending his surrogate son's soul. Not even a 'Royal Prat' would cow him down into a subservient mellow on this matter.

And Arthur was shocked to have received such a verbal thrashing from the old man. Maybe that was why he started to see the old man's point. He didn't know, and probably would never know why he'd caved, but Gaius was right; they'd had every opportunity to strike down Camelot, its citizens and even its Ruling family… and yet they hadn't. Instead, they'd fought tooth and nail to keep them alive, and keep the peace.

"No…" He admitted, "But why? I don't understand…" It still didn't explain his father's abhorrent aversion to magic users and the whole seduction of evil story. He couldn't seem to make the two add up, but then he'd thought his father could be mistaken once. Was magic such a terrible thing?

"Uther is wrong Arthur." Gaius said softly, unknowingly hitting Arthur's thoughts on the head, but Arthur was half in his own world now, sorting though his thoughts and the evidence. "Magic is not the enemy, it is a tool, a weapon you can't fight with sword and sinew alone." Arthur automatically snorted at that, his eyes downcast and lost in the embers of Gaius' fire.

"We've been fine so far…" He replied braggishly, but there was no energy in the claim, just an empty hollow response that he would have answered in his sleep.

"No you haven't." Gaius replied gently. No he hadn't, Arthur agreed thinking back to all the times they'd fought with magic in Camelot while Gaius continued. "If Merlin hadn't been here, your father would have fallen to the dead knight; Sir Valiant would have killed you in the tournament; the troll would never have been discovered for what she was… and the witch impersonating Lady Helen would have killed you long before your time." It was true… Merlin had been in the centre of all the fights and mysteries every time.

"That was all… all Merlin?" He asked, again automatically, for he knew now what Merlin had done, what he'd sacrificed for Camelot… for him.

"Arthur, he's done nothing but save your life and many others over and over again. He is your biggest weapon, your strongest ally..." The old man's words settled over him like a warm, comforting blanket.

"…and my best friend." He knew what he had to do now. Magic or not, Merlin _was_ his best friend. Someone who threw his life in the way of death's scythe for him more often than not was more than just a servant doing his duty. He was a brother, the very special kind… and he was in trouble.

And when Prince Arthur looked up at the old man, it was the look of a King going into battle with only one objective; to win. A fierce determination blazed in his eyes. "How do I save him?"

Gaius gave the young man a knowing and grateful smile, and handed over the bracelet.

"You put it on… and wait for the Dæmon come."

* * *

Emily opened her door slowly, keeping the creak to a minimum. She was quiet for she could hear the light snoring from the corner of her kitchen area clear as a bell. Merlin had fallen asleep again. The poor boy, he wasn't well and he needed to rest as much as possible if he was to fulfil the Glade Elder's wishes.

"I'm sorry Sir; he seems to have fallen asleep again." She apologised as she lead an older man into her kitchen area. Both were quiet, not wanting to wake the boy just yet. "Would you like some tea?" She offered politely.

"No dear, you save what you have for those who need it." The Elder replied, his voice sounding much stronger than he looked. But he was a survivor, a tough nut to crack and time had had a long and tiring battle in that respect. "I would like to have a closer look at the boy though." He admitted, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Of course Sir, he's all yours." Emily replied, stepping back and sweeping a long curly lock of brown hair behind her ear. Her brilliant green eyes never left the scene however.

The Elder knelt down to the boy's bed and studied him closely. And Emily let her mind wander. Merlin looked so weak and frail in the Elder's shadow but he had a strong power within, and she knew the Elder believed her; she'd given him proof enough, the strawberries he'd created out of thin air. They hadn't seen strawberries in the Glade for nearly a hundred years.

The boy was a keeper. Their lives were finally going to get better; the Glade wouldn't be such a tedious time consumer of her life anymore. It'd be worth living again. She could make Merlin's life here happy, content. He'd never have to worry about being burned or penalised for the miracles he could perform.

Yes, life was finally going to get better.

But then something impossible happened. And she gasped.

His bracelet lit up.

Someone was coming for him.

But the Elder was already planning, already thinking of ways to secure their new miracle worker.

"He's blind you say?" She heard him ask. She nodded dumbly before realising he had his back to her.

"Yes sir… but his-" She was about to explain that his friends were coming for him now. He'd claimed he had a friend who could cure the blindness but she'd been sceptical of his rescue… and yet here it was; a lit bracelet right before her eyes.

But he interrupted her; "Hush. He need not know of that. Do not tell him." He ordered. She understood what he was doing, and why he was doing it, but surely if his friend came for him there'd be no stopping him.

"But what if his friend passes all the tests?" She asked, worried that the Elder was going to get everyone's hopes up for nothing.

"We'll deal with him when he comes for the boy." The Elder replied. And slowly, Emily started to understand. "You say he kept his talent a secret from his friends for the sake of his life?" He asked, as he examined the glowing bracelet gently, not wanting to wake its wearer.

"Yes, I doubt his friends know he can do what he does." She confirmed, watching the glowing gems as they sparkled and shimmered with painful envy.

"Well, we'll make him happy here, so happy that he'll never want to leave us for those who would kill him for his talents; he need never know that someone tried to find him."


	7. Chapter 7

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

**Summary:** _Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless._

**Disclaimer:** This is a Fan-fiction story of the T.V Series; Merlin, and is in no way affiliated with the actual series. All Characters and other materials related to the show that are used are not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. Elemental-Zer0 takes sole responsibility for any mistakes or offence that may be taken but truly not meant.

However, this story plot and all Characters not affiliated with the show are Copyright © 2009 to Elemental-Zer0.

**Authors Note/Warnings:** _Ok, and now we're in to the tests! Let the games begin!! Lol always wanted to say that! I know quite a few of you are interested in my three tests, and many have speculated as to what they'd be but you can relax now, your long wait is over… The first test begins in this chapter._

_Let me know what you think of it?_

_Again, no flames please. If you have any criticism to make please do it politely otherwise I shall ignore your words. (It's happened before, I'm sorry to say, and I hadn't even posted any chapters…)_

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* * *

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Labyrinth of the Lost

The morning was cold and barren but her hopes were high. Morgana actually allowed herself to smile for the briefest moment when the news came; the invitation had arrived! Though her happy mood was gone a moment later when Arthur gave her _that_ look. It was a look she hated, a look that said; '_I'm going to find death and tango for a bit, and I may not come back victorious_.' Her worries returned tenfold.

"What are the tests that he'll have to pass?" She asked, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. She felt Gwen shift beside her but she remained silent, glancing at Arthur every now and then with a look of concern that rivalled her own.

"I'm not sure." Gaius replied, now fully dressed and ready to face the world in stark contrast to his earlier attire and attentiveness. "I believe there was one article that mentioned a vague description…" He trailed off as he began visually searching the shelves of books in his chambers while internally searching his memory for the location of said articles. "…where did I put that book?" He took a few steps toward the shelf closest to him and began shifting through them one by one.

"How long do you think it'll take?" Gwen managed to breathe out from her post. Arthur looked over at her and he could see she was visibly shaking but with worry or the chill, he was uncertain. She hugged herself closely and avoided his gaze.

"Well, the common texts speak of a timed period." Gaius began as he moved onto another heavily burdened bookshelf. "It usually gives around three days to complete the last test but the first two are always in debate. Some say it takes two days; one day per test, while others claim that it takes only minutes." Arthur rolled his eyes but remained quiet. "Of course," Gaius continued, "It's all speculation, because as a minor few have pointed out, time could very well be distorted within the Labyrinth realm." He explained and caught Arthur giving a frustrated shake of his head. He felt for the young Prince, this wasn't easy on all of them but Arthur was a man of action, who wanted cold hard facts and an immediate path that needed to be taken. All this dilly dallying and waiting around was putting everyone on edge. The more time it took to understand and 'know thy enemy' was another minute without Merlin. And who knows what he was going through right now. Heavens forbid he was hurt in anyway because not only would Arthur maim and behead anyone who'd touched his manservant -or _any_ of his subjects- but Gaius would effectively curse them until the end of time as well. Something he wasn't a stranger to.

"Aha! Here it is!" Gaius jubilantly exclaimed as he pulled a very dusty book from the far corner shelf and blew on the cover. A thick cloud of dust danced up into the room but a strong draught soon ventilated the dust particles to a safe deposition.

Arthur, Gwen and Morgana all exchanged curious looks before crowding round the table which Gaius had set the book upon. He mumbled several times while flipping through the thin, delicate pages with a practiced finger. Faded words of another language flew past Arthur's eyes as he tried to catch the articulate scripture but failed miserably.

"What is it?!" He asked impatiently. But he was soon put in his place when Gaius merely paused and gave him a pointed look that told him to keep quiet. Suitably contrite, Arthur took a step away and stood near the fire to wait, his fist resting on the wall above the hearth.

But he was hardly given a chance to think.

"_So you have accepted the invitation?_" They all jumped and four pairs of eyes were suddenly looking upon a lone, cloaked figure in the far corner closest to Arthur. It's voice, a grating, hollow echo of a voice that quite possibly used to be a powerful tenor. Arthur's sword was out in an instant, its deadly sharp tip aimed at the figure's chest as he positioned himself so that he was in between the stranger and his friends who were still huddled around the table.

"Are you the Dæmon? The one who took Merlin?" He asked, every bit the regal crowned Prince of Camelot that he was. He had to take control, _be_ the Prince. Merlin was counting on him.

The hood dipped lowly before returning to its stooped position but remained silent; still waiting, it seemed, for its answer.

"You wish for me to prove myself to you in order for Merlin to return with me to this world?" He asked, his blade never wavering and his eyes never leaving the figure though he could see Gwen and Morgana in the corner of his eye gripping each other in fear.

The hood gave another silent dip.

"What are your reasons for taking him?" Arthur asked, trying to cover all grounds. He wanted to make sure he understood this from his enemy's point of view as well. Just to see if there was a possibility for a double cross from either side later on.

"_If you have not accepted the invitation I will leave…_" The Dæmon turned for the door then, ready to leave forever, but Arthur was quick to react.

"No!" He cried out, desperate to keep his link to Merlin in his visual capacity at all times. "I have accepted, I just-" He began to explain, but the Dæmon cut him off.

"_Then we shall begin_." It cooed in its eerie voice. And quite unexpectedly, a mist of grey smoke began to flood the room. At first it washed along the cobble floor reaching into every nook and cranny with its wispy touch before rising to the ceiling in a graceful flight, taking only seconds to fill the room.

He heard Morgana gasp and Gwen give a fearful squeak behind him but he couldn't see them anymore. And if he couldn't see them, he couldn't protect them…

"Wait! Sto-" He tried to call out, to reason with the creature that had plagued his days since the disappearance of his Manservant had been confirmed. But he was cut off as his whole body seemed to just shimmer out of existence and he could see, hear and feel no more.

And as sudden as it had appeared, the smoke was gone, leaving not even a tendril behind. But as Gaius looked around the room he noticed the distinct lack of a Prince in the room.

The King was not going to like this.

* * *

Merlin awoke to the sound of Emily chatting idly to another deeper voiced person. Judging by the baritone and heavy breathing he surmised that Emily's guest was male and on the slightly larger side of life, to put it politely. His voice seemed to roll with his words in an eloquent fashion, giving the young warlock the impression that he'd once been a noble or was from a slightly more upper class family than the average peasant.

He harrumphed slightly to clear his throat before attempting to sit up; letting the other two know he was awake. He didn't make it far for a strong hand found his shoulder and guided him back down.

"Ah, ah, rest young one. You've been through a lot. You shouldn't be moving around just yet." It was the man speaking and judging by the size and strength of the hand he guessed it was him that was holding him down. Geez, these people were worse that Gaius! He felt fine!

"I feel fine now…" He mumbled faintly and he was surprised by the lack of energy his voice seemed to have. He didn't understand.

"That's because my medicines are strong within you again. You should see the state you're in Merlin; did you know you have a broken rib?" Emily asked, her voice sounding further away than the man's. She must be stood behind this new man.

Then her words hit him.

"I have a broken rib?" He asked surprised. It didn't feel like he had a broken rib. Hell he was even sat up earlier and it didn't feel broken… Just what was in that medicine she kept giving him? He had to let Gaius sample some!

The man chuckled but there was a sense of relief in his voice that confused Merlin.

"I'm sorry but who are you sir?" He asked, hoping he wasn't intruding on Emily's family life. It would be awkward and tense for him, knowing that he was invading her private life.

"My apologies dear boy, I'm so rude! Let me introduce myself, I am Dieron (_prn. Dee-air-ron_) the Glade Elder." Merlin took on a look of surprise that was obviously very evident. "You look surprised my boy." The Elder probed with a jolly laugh.

"Forgive me sir, but you're not what I expected." Merlin replied honestly. It felt strange to be laid down before the man who was, for all intents and purposes, a King of his own little Kingdom.

"Oh? And what did you expect?" The Elder asked with an unusually bright air in his voice. If this place was full of suffering, why did he sound so happy and optimistic?

"Please don't be offended, but I expected someone… older." At this the Elder laughed openly.

"My dear boy, you've just made me the happiest man here." He cried jovially. "Just how old do you think I am?" He asked curiously. Merlin was confused to say the least but answered honestly nonetheless.

"Um… I don't know but I'd say you sound around, twenty years or more." He replied to which the Elder just laughed even harder. Even Emily joined in, her laughter sounding melodically light and airy.

"If only you could see me Merlin, you'd see why I am laughing." The man sighed as he calmed down. "Here, why don't you guess how old I am from a different perspective?" He suggested and before he could respond, the man had helped the boy sit up, taken his hands and guided then to some foreign material. Surprise registered in the young warlocks face momentarily before the textures under his fingers took his attention.

There was a roughness to the material beneath his hands. It was strong, leathery and wrinkled. There was an age to it that he couldn't reach the depth of with his imagination. Then his finger came across a large bump and a sudden whoosh of air escaped two holes in the bottom of this strange bump.

And it was with sudden horror that Merlin realised his hands were touching the face of the Elder. "Impossible…" he muttered, letting his hands probe more of this weather-beaten face to assure his assumptions were correct.

"How old do you think I am now?" The Elder asked, his voice noticeably softer now that they were closer.

"I dare not say for fear of offending you, my lord." Merlin barely whispered, removing his hands from the Elder's face. But the Elder caught them quickly and held them in his own.

"Come now boy. I won't be offended." It was then that Merlin started to feel very uncomfortable. It wasn't that he could _see_ them, but he could _feel_ the man's eyes penetrating his soul and watching him with an intensity he'd never felt before. This man wanted him. Merlin was unsure yet as to what he wanted him for but it didn't feel honest or right.

Gently, so as not to let the man know of his suspicions, Merlin pulled his hands free and gave a fake yawn.

"I believe Merlin needs his rest Lord Elder, and he shouldn't be sat up like that." Emily chimed from somewhere behind the Elder and Merlin mentally thanked her for her perfect timing.

"Of course, my apologies young Merlin for keeping you up, rest now and I shall visit again soon." The Elder replied, and suddenly his hands were on Merlin again, guiding him back to his original position on the bed. Merlin tried not to shiver at the unwanted contact but knew he'd failed. Thankfully, it was interpreted as something else. "Emily, get some wood in the fire, its like winter in here."

Merlin settled down under his blankets and pretended to sleep but was really listening for the Elder's heavy footfalls to disappear.

"It's ok Merlin, he's gone." Emily's soft voice called. Merlin shifted before sitting back up. "I'm sorry, I should have warned you about him." She apologised, her voice sounding closer. It was then he suddenly clicked that her footfalls were very soft, indicating she probably had no shoes on.

"It's ok. I've dealt with worse." He shrugged but stopped suddenly as a dull ache shot through his chest. That broken rib. He winced and was about to lay back down again but a familiar tin cup was pushed against his lips.

"Before you sleep again, you need to eat and drink something. I've made some chicken soup that should help you heal more quickly. And after that, I'll give you some more medicine and you can go back to sleep." Emily's voice gave no room for argument and Merlin found himself nodding as he took the cup in his own hands and drank from it. "Don't worry, you'll be up and around in no time. My grandmother's medicines were known for their fast acting remedies." Emily reassured him.

"I've noticed." Merlin replied, as he felt the edge of the bed for the floor and placed the cup down on it. "How did she do it? I feel almost no pain at all and yet apparently I have a broken rib!" He heard her chuckle again, a soft musical laugh that played softly in his ears.

"I don't know the 'whys' or 'hows' I only know the recipe and the dosage. As long as it helps, should I need to know more?" She replied. And Merlin chuckled then. She was right; so long as it worked, she didn't need to know how or why. But Gaius wouldn't be happy until he'd found the meaning of both questions…

Gaius…

A pang of homesickness hit him then and his face fell. Would he ever see his old friend again? Probably not. Even if he could escape this Glade, he was still blind. He had a lot of faith in Gaius' remedies but this girl's medicines far outclassed his old friends' and _she_ felt she could not cure his blindness…

What hope did Gaius have?

"Emily?" He asked. His voice sounded quiet and lost even to himself.

"Hmmm?" She answered, a little apprehensively at his tone of voice.

"I know you don't believe that someone will come for me." He began, "But I have faith in a very good friend to rescue me. He's not the type who'll just sit back and let someone disappear. But as I can't see right now, I can't tell if my bracelet has lit up. You'll tell me if it does, won't you?" He asked.

She was quiet.

"Emily?" He urged, gently.

"Yes." She said stiffly and suddenly. "I'll watch it for you."

Merlin frowned; there was a strange tremor in her words, fear or something that permeated from her voice. '_She must be worried that my faith has been misplaced._' He surmised with a small smile.

"Don't worry; I know someone will come for me. You'll see." He replied, completely oblivious to her torn emotions.

How was she going to keep this up?

* * *

There was a strange tingling yet numbing feeling sweeping through Arthur's body. It felt alien and unearthly and he decided he didn't like the feeling at all. '_Magic_' was the only word he could use to describe it and he was adverse to the use and practice of it due to his father's over cautiousness of the art. It was burned into his skull, beaten into his very core to dislike and stray away or attack anything magical.

And yet Merlin was a magic user.

Could he live with his friend being a sorcerer? If he kept his friend's secret he knew Merlin would freely use his magic around him and Arthur wasn't sure if he could cope with that. But then he hadn't been caught yet, so maybe he could hope that Merlin would be wise with his practice and only use it in dire emergencies… '_Just like he'd been doing since he was born!' _Arthur admonished himself; of course Merlin knew what he was doing, how else could he have survived for so long?

Arthur really hated these talks with himself and decided that enough was enough and he needed to face this challenge or there'd be no future predicaments with Merlin to worry about. So he opened his eyes with the grace and determination that only a Crowned Prince could muster.

What greeted him was a sight unlike anything he'd imagined. He'd been expecting large burning pits with pools of volcanic fiery liquids, or deep crevasses with unsightly creatures blocking a path that he needed to take to get to his friend. However, he found himself staring at a large cliff side with a rope and plank bridge linking the cliff he was standing on to the cliff he obviously had to get to.

He blinked.

"I don't understand this test." He said bluntly, still staring at the innocent looking bridge with suspicion. The Dæmon stepped out of the shadows and turned to the bridge but did not speak. Instead someone else materialised next to the cloaked figure in a bright flurry of lights.

"_It is but a simple test_." Arthur heard the echoing voice before he saw who it was that had appeared but he didn't need to look. He'd know that endearingly annoying voice anywhere. "_A test of knowledge_." He watched as the object of his travels shifted into view.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried and made to move but halted almost immediately. The boy in front of him was different. Sure he looked the same as his servant; same brown jacket, blue hose and red 'neckerchief, but his eyes were different… they were colder, distanced. Unfamiliar.

"_I may look like your friend_," the not-Merlin spoke again, "_but I am merely an illusion created to host these tests that you'll be taking, and perhaps a visual reminder of what's at stake._" Arthur's hopes deflated. But he had to admit that on some level, it was good to see that familiar face again. Impossible as it may seem, it was getting harder to recall the last time he'd set eyes on his missing manservant. It had only been just over four weeks but it seemed like a lifetime had passed.

"Ok… this is going to be weird." Arthur admitted. Talking to an illusion and knowing it wasn't his friend was one thing, but when he looked at him it made his heart ache for his friend to be safe and sound next to him. And how would the illusion ask these questions? With a 'my', 'I' and 'me' or a 'his'? This could get confusing very quickly.

"_I can change appearances if you'd prefer? Another acquaintance?_" The illusion asked, suspecting that the appearance he'd taken was distressing the young Prince. And before Arthur could protest or acquiesce to the offer, the illusion began to shift and morph into a more horrifying spectre.

"No!" He immediately refuted. "No, no Merlin is fine… I can expect weird from Merlin." The eyes of Uther Pendragon crinkled with amusement and the illusion returned to its previous shape.

"_As you wish_." The illusion replied through Merlin's hollowed voice which Arthur stood painfully but determinedly through. It was as the illusion said; he represented a painful reminder of what was at stake.

"Ok," Arthur coughed, trying to take as much control of the situation as was possible. "So er… what do I have to do? I know that crossing the bridge is mandatory, that much I can see, but I assume it's more complicated than that." He asked getting straight to business; the less time he dilly dallied, the less time he had to look at the achingly familiar face and know it wasn't his friend.

"_You are correct._" The illusion replied, "_As I said before, this is a test of knowledge. There are five planks on this bridge; each is linked to a question about your friend. Answer correctly and that plank will remain solid. Answer incorrectly and the plank will become an illusion. When you have finished answering the five questions you are then free to try and cross the bridge. However we are not permitted to tell you which answer you answered correctly or to which questions the planks are linked to._

"_Thus, the planks are scrambled and you must have faith in your knowledge of your friend_." The illusion finished, his eyes never leaving the young prince.

"You're not making this easy for me are you?" Arthur responded with a dejected tone. How much did he truly know about his friend? He hoped there weren't any questions about his food preferences; he'd be really stuck then. He had absolutely no idea what kind of foods Merlin preferred.

"_The test was not designed so_." The illusion replied, a small smirk that was so Merlin-like graced the illusion's lips and Arthur had to look away.

"Ok answer questions, get them all right and cross the bridge. Simple." He said more to distract himself than clarify what had been explained, "Ok, what's my first question?" He asked, feeling a little impatient and scared at the same time.

"_Very well, let us begin_." The illusion began. "_Listen carefully for these questions are related to your past with Merlin and any given opportunity you had to gain information from him about him._" Arthur cringed and he was still expecting the illusion to ask him about Merlin's favourite food.

"_Thus your first question begins; once upon a time in your past, you spoke to Merlin of your mother. You revealed a deep emotion of longing and an admition of not remembering her as clearly or as detailed as you'd like to. Merlin related to that feeling about a similar figure in his life. Who was that person to Merlin?_"

* * *

**AN**; Can you answer the first question? Do you think Arthur should know the answer? Or do you think he might have forgotten the answer? Let me know your thoughts!


	8. Chapter 8

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

**Summary:** _Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless._

**Disclaimer:** This is a Fan-fiction story of the T.V Series; Merlin, and is in no way affiliated with the actual series. All Characters and other materials related to the show that are used are not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. Elemental-Zer0 takes sole responsibility for any mistakes or offence that may be taken but truly not meant.

However, this story plot and all Characters not affiliated with the show are Copyright © 2009 to Elemental-Zer0.

**Authors Note/Warnings:** _Ok let me apologise first for the delay… I'm sorry. There. No excuses, just an apology because I did warn you before that I have a lot of stories in my head and on here and that delays were inevitable. Also I'd like to apologise for the shortness of this chapter. Unfortunately, due to the plot and layout of the story I need this chapter to be short so that the next chapter can start with a more flowing beginning and make more sense in the long run. _

_And well done to all of you who reviewed with the correct answer; yes it was Merlin's Father who Merlin felt similarly to Arthur's feelings of his Mother. Well done everyone, I don't remember reading a wrong answer so you're all right! :D Happy day! _

_Anyways, I won't keep you from reading any longer so go ahead and scroll down…_

_Again, no flames please. If you have any criticism to make please do it politely otherwise I shall ignore your words. (It's happened before, I'm sorry to say, and I hadn't even posted any chapters…)_

* * *

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

Arthur stood silent for a moment before the memory in question came forth. He remembered admitting that he couldn't remember his mother as clearly as he'd have liked to, and yes Merlin had a similar feeling of his own in that respect.

"His father." He said. "Merlin felt the same about his father." He answered confidently, grinning a little at his small victory. Ok, so maybe this little test wasn't so bad…

"_A fine answer, though as I mentioned before, I cannot confirm to you if it is the right answer, you will discover that when you step onto the bridge_." The not-Merlin responded with his friend's endearing smile. Arthur's heart ached for his friend's safety then, the small reminder of what he was being tested for standing as an illusion mere footsteps away.

"What's my second question?" He asked authoritatively, wanting to get this test over and done with as quickly as possible so that he could rescue Merlin.

"_Your next question is as follows; in the first instance you laid eyes on Merlin, what was the first sentence you said to him_?" The spectre asked.

Arthur froze. How on earth was he to remember that?

Maybe this test wasn't as easy as he first thought…

* * *

Being blind in a bed and not moving anywhere was one thing. Being blind and walking however was a whole new depressing side of blindness.

Crash!

Merlin cursed for the thousandth time in the space of twenty minutes as he walked into and knocked over yet another expensive sounding object.

"Don't worry Merlin, keep going. You need to familiarise yourself with this place properly if you're going to live with me for the time being." Emily encouraged, thankful that he couldn't see her wincing every time he knocked something over.

"I really don't think this is a good idea Emily, I'm knocking all your stuff over, and god knows how many things I've broken!" Merlin replied a little agitatedly. He continued fumbling around for a second before a pair of warm hands took him by the shoulders firmly.

"Stop panicking Merlin. That's where all this clumsy energy is coming from. You're panicking about the fact that you're moving but with no way to see where." Emily's voice was stern and strong in his right ear and he could feel her body heat against his back. "Calm down. It's just like navigating in a dark room at night. You need to slow down and feel around carefully. Create a picture in your mind's eye. Visualise what you can't physically see by using your other senses to help create that picture." He took a breath and tried to calm down, tried to let the finality of the situation fall away, tried to pretend that he was just walking through a room in the dark.

It worked to an extent. He found out his makeshift bed had been built by the stove to help keep him warm enough to heal, and that he'd been placed by the farthest wall from the doorway for security measures. He discovered that there was a wooden table and a set of stools nearby and a hearth and fireplace beyond that.

"See, you're getting the hang of it." Emily stated and he could feel the exuberant smile she was no doubt sending his way. But Merlin still didn't feel the same excitement.

"I guess I am," He replied, "It's all nice and well being able to memorise and move around a room, but I can't exactly memorise the entire Glade like this. Not to mention I wouldn't be able to see if I was about to bump into someone. People move around Emily, and although I have magic, I'm not a mind reader." It was true in his thoughts, how was he supposed to get around life if he had to depend on someone being there by his side the entire time. The feeling that had prompted this excursion in the first place; the feeling of uselessness and helplessness, started to creep back into his mind.

"Be positive Merlin. I've thought of a way for you to move around that. Don't give up so easily. Be brave. Be strong. You can beat this." Merlin wasn't sure where he'd be if she hadn't been the one to find him and nurse him back to 'almost' full health. A dull ache flared inside his chest, as though the mere thought was enough to bring the pain out of its slumber.

"I'll try…" He sighed, wrapping an arm around his chest in a loose self-embrace to ward off the ache in his chest.

"Trying isn't good enough Merlin. You've got to believe that you can do this. Without the passion to learn or beat this, there is no hope of accomplishment." Emily chastised lightly. She laid her hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze to add to her point. The feel of her thumb pressing in on the back of his shoulder told him she was behind him again, though the direction of her voice also confirmed that fact. He covered her hand with his own and gave it a light squeeze, telling her that he understood and would work on it. A moment later, he hung his head down and sighed.

"So what's this bright idea of yours then?" He could practically hear the smile snap into place as her hand quickly shifted and grabbed his own. The energy he felt in the room intensified ten fold and he suddenly felt himself feeling a little lighter in response.

"Come with me!" Were her mysterious words, seconds before he was being pulled in a random direction with a strong tug.

What had he let himself in for?

* * *

On the dreary hilltop overlooking the serene scene that was Camelot, the Dæmon sat unmoving in front of the Labyrinth entrance. The wind whispered its secrets through the leafless trees around him and forced the falling snows into a scattered dance of violent randomness before letting them fall harmlessly upon the world and its watcher. The Dæmon hissed a breathy chuckle.

The story was playing out as he'd expected it to. This prophecy was one that simply could not be left to its own devices. This one needed a prompt. And both boys needed to learn a lesson or two about trust and faith.

It seemed unlikely that two such people of completely opposite practices on the action of trust and faith should be tied together so tightly by one destiny; that one so eager to place his trust and faith in a stranger should be paired to one who places no trust in anyone and no faith in anything unless it has proven its worth in such a tact.

The odds were mind-boggling.

Now they just needed to apply those trusts and faiths to one another, to learn all they can about each other. To help the bond between them grow into something unshakable. To create a legendary duo that would live on throughout time. To create a story that would be told for generations.

And thus the students are in place; the teacher is in control… and the lessons will soon be learned.

* * *

**AN**; _Ok, so a slightly tougher question this time, but not impossible to answer… and no cheating by going back to the first episode and watching it! That's not fair to others who can't! But hey, how can I stop you? Lol!_


	9. Chapter 9

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

**Summary:** _Arthur, Gaius, Morgana and Gwen become increasingly worried when a two week holiday takes Merlin more than four weeks to complete. And their suspicions are confirmed when his horse returns riderless._

**Disclaimer:** This is a Fan-fiction story of the T.V Series; Merlin, and is in no way affiliated with the actual series. All Characters and other materials related to the show that are used are not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. Elemental-Zer0 takes sole responsibility for any mistakes or offence that may be taken but truly not meant.

However, this story plot and all Characters not affiliated with the show are Copyright © 2009 to Elemental-Zer0.

**Authors Note/Warnings:** _You have no idea how difficult the writers block for this was… I apologise for the lateness of this chapter as per the vote system but as I said, this chapter gave me a lot of trouble. Hope it doesn't disappoint!_

_Again, no flames please. If you have any criticism to make please do it politely otherwise I shall ignore your words. (It's happened before, I'm sorry to say, and I hadn't even posted any chapters…)_

* * *

**Labyrinth of the Lost**

Arthur clenched his fists hard. How was he expected to know the answer to that question? Upon meeting a person, even if only very briefly, over a thousand words could be exchanged and not a single one of them easily memorable in any fashion! No one could remember the first words they said to any one person.

He growled to himself and tried to conjure the memory. Images of their past adventures flitted briefly through his mind; the unicorn incident, the attack of the dragon, the sorceress in the woods… But the moment it all started? He couldn't see it. He couldn't remember the instant they'd met. So much had happened, so many things had been said, too many experiences shared…

"I don't know… 'Hello' maybe?" He finally answered nervously, "There's been so much happen between then and now! How can anyone remember what they first said to a person, when it feels like that person has been by your side since before time began?" He growled out becoming agitated with the impossible question. "It's impossible!" he declared frustratedly.

The not-Merlin just gave a small smile. "He remembers." The illusion replied referring to the real Merlin, "Every word, the exact tone, the setting, the people present at the time." And Arthur stilled. Then became angry with his incompetence to remember something so simple and small detailed. His confidence in himself wavered.

"Ok, so that's a wrong answer. What's my next question?" He asked, trying to move on from the recent failure he'd just committed. He averted his eyes and waited for the illusion to produce another impossible question for him to blunder through and get wrong.

The not-Merlin gave another knowing smile that was so realistic that it hurt. Arthur felt a pang in his chest; did he really know so little about his friend?

"What is Merlin's home village called and where is it located?"

Arthur had to pause and process the question. He looked up at the smiling illusion with a look on his face that clearly showed his surprise and confusion at the randomness of these questions.

"Merlin's home village is called Ealdor, it lies beyond the ridge of Aesctir, in the outlying region of Cendred's kingdom." He answered hesitantly, thinking that maybe it was a trick question and that that wasn't the answer after all. It was the only one he knew though.

"Two more questions Arthur Pendragon." The illusion stated as though trying to reassure the young Prince that the end of the first trial was near. Arthur gave a nod and gestured for the next question, swallowing his confusion for now. "Very well. What were the plagues that ailed the Kingdom of Camelot, in order of events happening as they did, after you slayed a Unicorn?" The not-Merlin asked. Arthur kicked the ground in frustration; all these questions were either too difficult or far too easy and in no order or fashion. He was feeling very unbalanced by it all.

"Uh! In order…!" He growled at the nod of affirmation the illusion gave him. "Wait, how does this relate to Merlin?" He asked quickly, suddenly realising there was a lack of his friend in the question. The illusion smiled again and Arthur was beginning to re evaluate his previous decision of letting the illusion take Merlin's form. The pang in his chest _hurt_.

"It was Merlin who pressed the issue to leave the Unicorn be. It was Merlin who suffered also at your ignorance of his warnings; going hungry, thirsty and despite your efforts at keeping him out of your quest to right things, it was Merlin who was used as a hostage to test your ability to take responsibility for the consequences you caused. He would never admit it, but he suffered the most at your actions that time." The illusion replied matter of factly. "You fail to see how deeply connected your lives have become. This first trial is designed to show you how much you truly know and how much you could know if you'd paid closer attention. You two are so intertwined that every action you make has dire repercussions for the boy. The same is said for Merlin's actions and the repercussions for you." Arthur was quiet. In hindsight he could see that Merlin was in fact always a victim of his actions, no matter how narrow the escape of death and a fate far worse.

"Your answer please, Arthur Pendragon."

* * *

Merlin was currently wondering if Emily had a mind to speak of, or if she was just playing a horrible and cruel joke on him.

"You can't be serious." He murmured, hoping she wasn't as serious as she sounded. He felt the hand on his arm tighten slightly, and his throat tightened in response. She _was_ serious.

"Of coarse I'm serious Merlin." She replied, making him take the long smoothed staff from her hands, guiding his hands as she did. "Think about it for a moment. It won't solve all your problems but it will make it easier for you to move about on your own. A staff will help you to stop tripping over things that are lying around. Just tap it in front of you and _it_ will bump into the objects instead of _you_, thus alerting you to an obstacle in your path." The logic made sense but it still felt like a ridiculous notion to practice. "Don't worry about the people here, they will move out of your way or help you if you ask them. We're all friendly here, no one is going to lie to you or give you wrong directions." She reassured him. He nodded and moved the staff in his hands to a more comfortable position. Well, what's the worst that could happen?

He tapped the staff gently on the ground before him. It was clear. He took a step and tapped it again. It was clear again. He took another step and then immediately the staff hit something solid, indicating there was an object in his path.

"Ok I found something. What is it?" He asked as he held his hand out in the direction of the obstacle. But Emily provided no help.

"Why don't you tell me?" She said, her voice sounding as though she were behind him a few paces. Merlin grumbled to himself at her unhelpfulness and reached out with his hand. A rough texture met his hand, solid but brittle on the top layer. Something fell off the surface revealing a smoother surface underneath. He extended his hand up as far as he could reach and then followed it down to the ground where the shape became irregular and disappeared into the ground. Next, using the staff as he'd been taught, he traced his way around the curious object; it was cylindrical, high and solid, melt of the earth and he could hear a slight rustling sound from above him.

"Is it a tree?" He asked, noting now that he could hear something akin to birdsong far above but close. He didn't need Emily to confirm his guess.

"Yes Merlin. See, you're a natural at this." She replied jubilantly. Merlin let himself grin, feeling a little lighter now that he didn't feel completely lost in the dark, so to speak. Then he had a bright idea.

"Hey Emily, what type of tree is this?" He asked letting his hand find the tree again as he waited for her answer.

"An apple tree, but its barren now, she's given no fruit for over ten years. She's a very weak tree, her trunk is all but hollow and she only has a few green leaves left." The young healer replied in a softer tone. "Why?" She asked curiously.

Merlin shot a grin in her general direction – or at least where he thought she was stood – and placed his hand flat on the trunk.

"Āweaxan." His whispered voice barely reached her ears. At first nothing seemed to happen but then, before her very eyes, the tree _shivered_. And slowly, the branches thickened, extending skyward and _blossomed_! Leaves sprouted from previously dead buds, tiny flowers opened revealing a scent that hadn't been smelt for a long time in the Glade. And as she watched awestruck, apples began to form; growing heavier and weighing down the smaller branches as they ripened and grew.

Finally the process stopped and Merlin let his hand fall away from the tree. He wasn't aware of it but a crowd had formed around the tree and all were openly gaping at either him or the tree. Emily was the first to shake herself from the shocked silence and she moved to stand by the young warlock's side. Merlin could feel her as she stepped close to him, could feel the heat of her body as she stretched up and plucked an apple from one of the lower branches by his head.

"Apples…" She all but whispered, hardly daring to speak louder for fear of shattering the dream she felt she was in.

"How does it taste?" Merlin asked with a grin. She looked up at him, a smile on her face but it quickly disappeared. He looked tired, ill. His pale skin was clammy and he was breathing a little heavier than he should be.

"I'll try it later; you need to get back to bed." She said hastily, placing her hand on his arm to lead him back but before they could make their escape, a loud cheer rang out all around them. She felt Merlin physically jump, obviously startled.

"Who's here?" He asked, clearly not expecting there to be anyone present other than Emily and himself. The crowd surged forward crushing the two as the Glade dwellers all reached out to thank the young warlock personally. Upon feeling the many hands suddenly slapping his back and grasping his free hand, he guessed the answer before Emily gave it.

"Oh, just everyone currently residing in the Glade." She replied in a sarcastic chirpy way. Merlin suddenly felt very overwhelmed at the onslaught of hands and scents and voices that attacked him mercilessly.

"Oh." He replied, but before he could say much more, a hard smack to his back caused a sharp pain to rip through his chest. He cried out loudly and fell to his knees in pain. The crowd hushed a little and stepped back as Emily crouched down, asking questions that he couldn't hear through the pain. It wasn't long until he found himself falling forward, the noises disappearing, fading behind him and his senses slowly switching off.

Emily barely caught him as he fainted.

* * *

**A/N:** _As promised, though it is 4 days late, here is your update. Can anyone answer this chapter's pending question? _


End file.
